His Name Is Terzo

Male peregrine Terzo (N29) at the Cathedral of Learning nest,29 Mar 2016 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
Male peregrine, Terzo, (bands Black/Red N/29) at the Cathedral of Learning nest, 29 Mar 2016 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)

In Pittsburgh, the tradition for naming a newly arrived adult peregrine is this:

The primary nest monitor names the bird for his/her own convenience using these two rules. If the peregrine was named at banding that name is preferred. Otherwise the primary monitor names the bird.

N29 did not receive a name on Banding Day so it was my job to decide what to call him.  After many hours of deliberation and repeated consultations with my fellow peregrine monitor, Karen Lang, …

the third male peregrine to nest at the Cathedral of Learning has a name:  Terzo.

Terzo means “third” in Italian.

 

p.s. In Italian it’s pronounced Tare-tzo. It rhymes with “scherzo.”

 

(photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)

39 thoughts on “His Name Is Terzo

  1. Kate, lovely to pay homage to the two “E’s” who came before him. Beautiful name, and a beautiful bird. Terzo and Hope at the Cathedral, may you produce many little ones. We’re all rooting for you!

  2. Congratulations “Godmother”! Can’t think of a more appropriate person to name our new rock star! (Pun intended.)
    Anne

  3. Welcome Terzo ! may you have a long life with Hope ! But I would like to see you around the nest more !!!!

    1. Eileen, he spent a lot of time there around noon today. That’s when I got his picture. 🙂

  4. Welcome Terzo! A beautiful name for a beautiful boy.

    Now you and Hope go one and have lots of babies — and be a good stepdad to E2’s babies, if they are viable! 🙂

  5. I like the chosen name, but when I speak of this bird, I am going to pronounce the name as TER-zoe, instead of the Italian pronunciation. Why? TER-zoe sounds more male-like to me. That’s just me though. Are we flexible enough with having a slightly differing pronunciation? Kind of like the saying about pronouncing the word tomato: you say toe-MAY-toe and I say toe-MAH-toe. Still refers to the same thing. No disrespect intended, hopefully none taken, and ultimately, I think it is a great choice in names. Who knows, maybe in time I’ll warm up to Tare-tzo.

  6. I’m noticed a bird that was not a ordinary looking bird for being in Homestead Pa on March 30 2016. The bird to me looked exactly like a peregrine falcon but kind of had doubts. The very next day being 3/31/16 while sitting at a red light 1 block from Homestead Grey’s bridge me and my girlfriend see a bird take another smaller bird out of the air. First we thought it was a mating pair but much to our suprise!! It was no doubt a falcon clutching a sparrow no more than 10ft away from our car holding down the bird and tearing at it. I believe this same bird can be seen on most days around the end of the bridge on Homestead side perched on the poles around the first few blocks turning left into the town. Anyone interested in doing further research on this bird or birds feel free to get in touch. Email is jayhomot@gmail.com. If will be looking in the next few days with hopes of getting some pictures to post.

  7. Sorry had the dates wrong by a day but I am 100% sure it was a peregrine falcon and not sure on how common these birds are now in the area. Hopefully I will have pictures for proof soon

  8. Dear Kate, I love your blog. I teach 6th grade in Monroeville and have been following for a few years during the Eagle/Perigrine spring seasons. I show my students your information and have learned so many things from you. You have touched more lives that you know! : )
    I tried to find a way to email you directly-but had no luck, so hopefully this message finds its way to you. Here are my main issues:
    1. KDKA news finally mentioned the Cathedral Perigrines (3/31/16) and that Hope has a mate and called him N29! I was yelling at the news that my 12 year olds know more than the news!! I wish someone there had done their research better and found your blog for the new guy with his name of Terzo!
    2. The Hays bald eagles seem to have abandoned the 3rd egg, I saw that at around 8pm last night. Can you please blog about that with more information to share with my students, and maybe the news can do an up-to-date accurate clip on it?
    Thank you so much for all you do!!

    1. Christine, thanks for your kind words and suggestions on what to write about. More news later.
      p.s. Having worked in TV/radio I know the media is pressed for time and (sadly) is prone to reporting only part of the story.

    1. Ginger, we don’t know the answer to hatch date because we can’t tell if Hope has begun incubation. She spends a lot of time off the eggs so I’m of the opinion that she isn’t incubating yet. Perhaps she will lay more eggs at the end of next week. If so, she’ll begin incubation after she’s laid them. Then we can calculate hatch date.

    1. robin, yes Hope & Terzo are still mating. Peregrines mate to show they own a territory (mating in ostentatious locations), to fertilize eggs, and to build their pair bond. When mating for egg fertilization, they copulate at least daily through the egg-laying period. In the case of this new couple, though, they have so many reasons to mate that it’s hard to say what’s going on.

  9. How far apart do falcon lay there eggs if there are more than one.I know eagles it is like a couple of days apart

    1. Was it ever established if Terzo was the underage Peregrine that Hope was with in 2015?

    2. Karen, we know that Terzo could not have been that immature bird. Terzo hatched in 2013 so he was in immature plumage in 2014. The immature male at Tarentum was in 1-yr-old plumage in 2015 so he hatched in 2014. Also, I believe that the immature male at Tarentum was either unbanded or had black/green bands. Terzo has black/red bands.

  10. Thank you Kate I just cannot wait for the little ones to be born. Dorothy was my first year watching the falcon and that ended very sad

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